Comments on: High School Hustle: Elation, texting, tears and plaintive posts on Facebook http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:34:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Roberta http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10548 Roberta Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:55:38 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10548 Whoops, in my comment, #15, I referred to #12; meant to refer to #13. Whoops, in my comment, #15, I referred to #12; meant to refer to #13.

]]> By: Roberta http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10546 Roberta Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:35:21 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10546 #12, the District 2 schools are all very small and take maybe 100-120 freshmen. THere's no sure thing there either. My daughter's school decided to mail the results this year, which is fine--last year there was much drama and trauma and joy and pain outside the school door, as students tore their envelopes open after being told to take them home and open them when they were with their parents. However, the principal made this decision on WEDNESDAY, after the guildance counselor had told them that they would get them in school on Thursday. My daughter had been counting the days and is really stressed out. I am feeling a little less so because I am very happy with our list of regular schools (including some big ones that give her a better chance), but it will be awful if we have to wait until March 23. Good luck to all! Roberta #12, the District 2 schools are all very small and take maybe 100-120 freshmen. THere’s no sure thing there either.

My daughter’s school decided to mail the results this year, which is fine–last year there was much drama and trauma and joy and pain outside the school door, as students tore their envelopes open after being told to take them home and open them when they were with their parents. However, the principal made this decision on WEDNESDAY, after the guildance counselor had told them that they would get them in school on Thursday. My daughter had been counting the days and is really stressed out. I am feeling a little less so because I am very happy with our list of regular schools (including some big ones that give her a better chance), but it will be awful if we have to wait until March 23.

Good luck to all!

Roberta

]]> By: KST http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10545 KST Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:23:03 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10545 What about catholic school kids, are the results mailed directly to them? What about catholic school kids, are the results mailed directly to them?

]]> By: Been there http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10275 Been there Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:33:14 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10275 #12, I think that's true, BUT. The but is: After much, much research on schools, I had only a very short list of schools I felt right having my daughter apply to. Geographical issues further the anxiety--I don't want her to have to travel an hour+ each way to go to school--and I'm sure she's going to have to. Many parents have legitimate reasons to drive themselves crazy over this process. For me, I'm not going crazy because I feel my daughter has to go to the most prestigious school (we didn't even apply to Stuyvessant), it's more because the third and under choices on the list actually present real hardship and aren't a good match. I guess it would be different if we lived in district 2 in Manhattan where there are so many schools to choose from. #12, I think that’s true, BUT. The but is: After much, much research on schools, I had only a very short list of schools I felt right having my daughter apply to. Geographical issues further the anxiety–I don’t want her to have to travel an hour+ each way to go to school–and I’m sure she’s going to have to. Many parents have legitimate reasons to drive themselves crazy over this process. For me, I’m not going crazy because I feel my daughter has to go to the most prestigious school (we didn’t even apply to Stuyvessant), it’s more because the third and under choices on the list actually present real hardship and aren’t a good match. I guess it would be different if we lived in district 2 in Manhattan where there are so many schools to choose from.

]]> By: annonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10268 annonymous Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:28:51 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10268 While the high school process can be crazy, I think if kids and parents have as relaxed an attitude as possible and keep things in perspective it will help. It's easy to blame "the process" for causing too much anxiety (and it does), but a lot of the pressure comes from parents, friends and students themselves. If you are too focused on one school, to the point where you're ready to kill yourself if you don't get in, it might be time to rethink the pressure you put on yourself rather than just criticizing the system. While the high school process can be crazy, I think if kids and parents have as relaxed an attitude as possible and keep things in perspective it will help. It’s easy to blame “the process” for causing too much anxiety (and it does), but a lot of the pressure comes from parents, friends and students themselves. If you are too focused on one school, to the point where you’re ready to kill yourself if you don’t get in, it might be time to rethink the pressure you put on yourself rather than just criticizing the system.

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10247 Anonymous Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:10:15 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10247 Scary--your child, my child, and everyone I know's child applied to Bard, Millennium and Beacon (what chance do these kids have?) If your child got into LaGuardia you will hear about all the acceptances. If he or she didn't, you will have to wait until everyone hears (in March? April). If your child had taken the SHSAT and got in to a school you would know in February also. Scary–your child, my child, and everyone I know’s child applied to Bard, Millennium and Beacon (what chance do these kids have?) If your child got into LaGuardia you will hear about all the acceptances. If he or she didn’t, you will have to wait until everyone hears (in March? April). If your child had taken the SHSAT and got in to a school you would know in February also.

]]> By: Lena http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10244 Lena Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:45:12 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-10244 I'm a bit confused about exactly WHEN the eighth-graders get back their results. My child applied to Bard, Millenium, and Beacon in addition to taking the SHSAT and auditioning to LaGuardia. Will we find out the acceptance into all of these schools at once or at different times? I’m a bit confused about exactly WHEN the eighth-graders get back their results. My child applied to Bard, Millenium, and Beacon in addition to taking the SHSAT and auditioning to LaGuardia. Will we find out the acceptance into all of these schools at once or at different times?

]]> By: Martia http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5388 Martia Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:37:37 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5388 thanks to anonymous for the clarification on the top 2% rule... thanks to anonymous for the clarification on the top 2% rule…

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5385 Anonymous Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:49:06 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5385 Martia. The top 2% rule does not apply to selective admission schools like Millennium. What you referred to only applies to ed-op schools. Those are schools that accept a range of students according to a formula set by the DOE (some at the top, some at the bottom and a lot in the middle). If you score in the top 2% citywide on the 7th grade ELA AND you rank an ed-op school first on your high school application of 12, then you are guarantteed admission to that school. Martia. The top 2% rule does not apply to selective admission schools like Millennium. What you referred to only applies to ed-op schools. Those are schools that accept a range of students according to a formula set by the DOE (some at the top, some at the bottom and a lot in the middle). If you score in the top 2% citywide on the 7th grade ELA AND you rank an ed-op school first on your high school application of 12, then you are guarantteed admission to that school.

]]> By: Martia http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5382 Martia Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:30:04 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/02/10/high-school-hustle-elation-texting-tears-and-plaintive-posts-on-facebook/#comment-5382 Just came across this blog. I have to say that Thurs., Feb. 5th was among the worst in our family's memory. Our daughter did not receive an offer from any specialized school, including her #1 choice, LaGuardia. She was devastated, having had a callback and all...She has a high 90's average, absent 2 or 3 times the entire 7th grade year, late: never...She is a diligent, hard-working student. It's a sham she was not able to celebrate in early Feb...... We foolishly did not realize when she took the SHSAT that she should have put all 8 schools -- at least she would have had a fighting chance...She only put the 2 that she thought she would actually go to. Now, I can't help thinking that if she had at least gotten into one of them, we would know her "main round" schools...this has been a tortuous process for us. To comment on Sherry's Feb.17th note, there is a student at my daughter's school who was accepted at Brooklyn Latin and at Millennium; the confusing thing to me is that she was supposedly among the students in the top 2% who were to have their choice of schools...Has anyone else ever heard of that top 2% -- on the ELA's and Math tests ? -- as being the criteria for choosing your own high school? In any event, I am sad to say that we may be spending $$ to send our child to Catholic school, something I never thought in a million years that I would do! Just came across this blog. I have to say that Thurs., Feb. 5th was among the worst in our family’s memory. Our daughter did not receive an offer from any specialized school, including her #1 choice, LaGuardia. She was devastated, having had a callback and all…She has a high 90’s average, absent 2 or 3 times the entire 7th grade year, late: never…She is a diligent, hard-working student. It’s a sham she was not able to celebrate in early Feb…… We foolishly did not realize when she took the SHSAT that she should have put all 8 schools — at least she would have had a fighting chance…She only put the 2 that she thought she would actually go to. Now, I can’t help thinking that if she had at least gotten into one of them, we would know her “main round” schools…this has been a tortuous process for us.

To comment on Sherry’s Feb.17th note, there is a student at my daughter’s school who was accepted at Brooklyn Latin and at Millennium; the confusing thing to me is that she was supposedly among the students in the top 2% who were to have their choice of schools…Has anyone else ever heard of that top 2% — on the ELA’s and Math tests ? — as being the criteria for choosing your own high school?

In any event, I am sad to say that we may be spending $$ to send our child to Catholic school, something I never thought in a million years that I would do!

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